COVID-19/Coronavirus thread

[hogan873]

Illinois will make the vaccine available to everyone 16 years old and older on April 12.  Obviously it will still take a while to get everyone vaccinated, but this is huge news.  I don't think it's unrealistic to expect herd immunity by mid-summer.

[Texsox]

My wife receives Pfizer part two today, I get it tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll not have too bad of reactions.

[bmags]

42 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Illinois will make the vaccine available to everyone 16 years old and older on April 12.  Obviously it will still take a while to get everyone vaccinated, but this is huge news.  I don't think it's unrealistic to expect herd immunity by mid-summer.

I like them moving up the timeline both for acknowledging the supply capacity then but also that it is basically a free for all anyway now.

[Texsox]

https://www.mysanantonio.com/coronavirus/article/COVID-Updates-Six-more-Bexar-County-residents-16026195.php?utm_campaign=mysa_breakingnews_20210317&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

70% reduction in hospitalizations here in San Antonio. I still see a lot of mask wearing and hand sanitizing. Hopefully the trend continues as we get people back working. Good feeling. 

[The Beast]

23 hours ago, NWINFan said:

Polls show that Republican men are resisting the vaccine. Fauci appealed to Trump to talk to his followers about getting the vaccine. This macho posturing is getting old. They should remember that Trump got Covid because he was careless. He survived because he got special medical treatment that most don't get. If he hadn't gotten that treatment, he would have died before the election. Time to wise up and stop endangering others as they are endangering themselves.

I talked to a Trump supporter yesterday and he said that his concern about vaccines is the long term impact that is not known. He would prefer to get J&J because there is only one shot and because he has heard about the additional booster with Pfizer. But I think the overall concern has to do with the long term impacts and unknowns.

1 hour ago, hogan873 said:

Illinois will make the vaccine available to everyone 16 years old and older on April 12.  Obviously it will still take a while to get everyone vaccinated, but this is huge news.  I don't think it's unrealistic to expect herd immunity by mid-summer.

Great, just in time for my birthday later on in April! A vaccine is all I am seeking and I am glad they are opening up eligibility, hopefully the supply is there.

[Iwritecode]

11 hours ago, BigHurt3515 said:

I think people just need to realize there will always be people who are resistant to vaccines especially ones that came about in less than a year

People like this...

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/oklahoma-diner-coronavirus-shot_n_6052f9bec5b672d709819d38

[Balta1701]

13 hours ago, BigHurt3515 said:

I think people just need to realize there will always be people who are resistant to vaccines especially ones that came about in less than a year

I think it's important to stress that big time politicians and media figures who got their shots and then pushed this narrative are extremely important in supporting that resistance. Rupert Murdoch got his shot in December, and then his network runs out Tucker Carlson asking "do we really need these shots"? Marco Rubio got his shot and then went out and said "not getting shots is important freedom" a few days later. The same people who won't take these shots would take Hydroxychloroquine happily last year if a certain person told them to. 

[Balta1701]

18 hours ago, Texsox said:

Hospitals are able to schedule all surgeries. No hospital bed shortages. Plenty of hand sanitizer, toilet paper, alcohol wipes, beef,  chicken, etc in the stores. 

I think we're closer to the "I stopped throwing up a couple hours ago and realize I'm hungry but I probably shouldn't eat that cold pizza" stage. 

We obviously have a ways to go,  and could have handled this much better, but man a year ago it looked very bleak. 

This has been bothering me all day, so I'm going to write it. If you'd told us a year ago that there would be days where 1200 people died in a day, and that 50,000 people were going to die, we'd have said that no matter how bleak things looked at the time they wound up worse. We were somewhat aghast when the former President said that 60,000 dead would be doing a good job. 

1200 people are dying of this a day right now, and we are on a path where another 50,000 deaths are possible right now. So you'll forgive me if I don't have a good reaction to the sentiment that this looks like it's over - the next month or two will give results that are worse than we would have imagined a year ago, and that's just the tail end of this. So maybe it's not that things aren't bleak right now, maybe it's just that we've become immune to the horror of what we're watching.

[bmags]

49 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

This has been bothering me all day, so I'm going to write it. If you'd told us a year ago that there would be days where 1200 people died in a day, and that 50,000 people were going to die, we'd have said that no matter how bleak things looked at the time they wound up worse. We were somewhat aghast when the former President said that 60,000 dead would be doing a good job. 

1200 people are dying of this a day right now, and we are on a path where another 50,000 deaths are possible right now. So you'll forgive me if I don't have a good reaction to the sentiment that this looks like it's over - the next month or two will give results that are worse than we would have imagined a year ago, and that's just the tail end of this. So maybe it's not that things aren't bleak right now, maybe it's just that we've become immune to the horror of what we're watching.

I think it's ok for people that just suffered through a pandemic to be happy that the pandemic looks like it will end even before it ends just like it was ok for people to worry about how much death might come from a terrible pandemic early last march before it had really killed anyone. Like knowing my kids can go to school and see their grandparents without killing them makes me feel happy even though there are people in the hospital suffering.

[Iwritecode]

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

This has been bothering me all day, so I'm going to write it. If you'd told us a year ago that there would be days where 1200 people died in a day, and that 50,000 people were going to die, we'd have said that no matter how bleak things looked at the time they wound up worse. We were somewhat aghast when the former President said that 60,000 dead would be doing a good job. 

1200 people are dying of this a day right now, and we are on a path where another 50,000 deaths are possible right now. So you'll forgive me if I don't have a good reaction to the sentiment that this looks like it's over - the next month or two will give results that are worse than we would have imagined a year ago, and that's just the tail end of this. So maybe it's not that things aren't bleak right now, maybe it's just that we've become immune to the horror of what we're watching.

Where is that 50,000 coming from? AFAIK, our current death toll is already over 500,000.

Edited March 18, 2021 by Iwritecode

[Balta1701]

51 minutes ago, Iwritecode said:

Where is that 50,000 coming from? AFAIK, our current death toll is already over 500,000.

Originally, 50,000-60,000 was the previous president's number for how many might die because of the good job they were doing.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-deaths-60000-trump-prediction_n_5ea30db6c5b6d376358ed86a

Just eyeballing - 75 days until everyone should have a shot available, slowly decreasing case numbers overall, B117 variant more deadly than any of the versions going around otherwise, 1200 dying a day right now and kinda plateauing, case numbers right now comparable to the peak last summer when deaths hung over 1000/day, multiple states opening things up and removing mask mandates - staying under 50k deaths just over the coming 2 months seems like a challenge. Maybe an achievable one depending on vaccine rollouts, but may also not be.

[Balta1701]

Someone asked about this a few days ago:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-mexico-immigration-coronavirus-vaccine/2021/03/18/a63a3426-8791-11eb-8a67-f314e5fcf88d_story.html

Quote

The Biden administration has agreed to supply Mexico with excess doses of the coronavirus vaccine, and Mexico is moving to help the United States contain a migration surge along its southern border, according to senior officials from both countries involved in the conversations.

The decision to send Astra-Zeneca vaccine to Mexico, and to Canada, is expected to be announced Friday. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had asked President Biden to help them fill vaccine shortfalls in recent talks.

 

[Iwritecode]

22 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Originally, 50,000-60,000 was the previous president's number for how many might die because of the good job they were doing.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-deaths-60000-trump-prediction_n_5ea30db6c5b6d376358ed86a

Just eyeballing - 75 days until everyone should have a shot available, slowly decreasing case numbers overall, B117 variant more deadly than any of the versions going around otherwise, 1200 dying a day right now and kinda plateauing, case numbers right now comparable to the peak last summer when deaths hung over 1000/day, multiple states opening things up and removing mask mandates - staying under 50k deaths just over the coming 2 months seems like a challenge. Maybe an achievable one depending on vaccine rollouts, but may also not be.

Gotcha. I think I read your first post too fast.

[hogan873]

Illinois announced a "Bridge" phase between Phase 4 and Phase 5.  Once 70% of 65+ residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, capacity limits increase greatly.  It would be 60% for concerts and sporting events.  Once 50% of the 16+ population is vaccinated, we essentially return to normal.

Another interesting note: Fully vaccinated people do not count toward capacity limits.  I think that's a way for venues, if the choose, to ask for proof of vaccination to increase capacity.

All of this is, of course, contingent on positivity rates, hospitalizations, etc. remaining low/dropping.

Hard to believe we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully we don't screw it up.

[bmags]

8 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Illinois announced a "Bridge" phase between Phase 4 and Phase 5.  Once 70% of 65+ residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, capacity limits increase greatly.  It would be 60% for concerts and sporting events.  Once 50% of the 16+ population is vaccinated, we essentially return to normal.

Another interesting note: Fully vaccinated people do not count toward capacity limits.  I think that's a way for venues, if the choose, to ask for proof of vaccination to increase capacity.

All of this is, of course, contingent on positivity rates, hospitalizations, etc. remaining low/dropping.

Hard to believe we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully we don't screw it up.

Hell yeah though today's numbers were terrible for positives.

[Quin]

Second dose done.

[Balta1701]

5 minutes ago, Quin said:

Second dose done.

Which vax? Can you let us know how it goes?

[Texsox]

4 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

This has been bothering me all day, so I'm going to write it. If you'd told us a year ago that there would be days where 1200 people died in a day, and that 50,000 people were going to die, we'd have said that no matter how bleak things looked at the time they wound up worse. We were somewhat aghast when the former President said that 60,000 dead would be doing a good job. 

1200 people are dying of this a day right now, and we are on a path where another 50,000 deaths are possible right now. So you'll forgive me if I don't have a good reaction to the sentiment that this looks like it's over - the next month or two will give results that are worse than we would have imagined a year ago, and that's just the tail end of this. So maybe it's not that things aren't bleak right now, maybe it's just that we've become immune to the horror of what we're watching.

Your choice. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. We have a President that takes this seriously. We have a vaccine that is getting into people. Our medical facilities aren't being overrun. No shortages of critical supplies. 

I'm optimistic. 

[SoxFan562004]

2 hours ago, hogan873 said:

Illinois announced a "Bridge" phase between Phase 4 and Phase 5.  Once 70% of 65+ residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, capacity limits increase greatly.  It would be 60% for concerts and sporting events.  Once 50% of the 16+ population is vaccinated, we essentially return to normal.

Another interesting note: Fully vaccinated people do not count toward capacity limits.  I think that's a way for venues, if the choose, to ask for proof of vaccination to increase capacity.

All of this is, of course, contingent on positivity rates, hospitalizations, etc. remaining low/dropping.

Hard to believe we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully we don't screw it up.

Are those vaccine percentages by age routinely available?  

[Texsox]

@Balta1701 this just highlights our differences. If five things are going great and one is still shit,  you'll focus on that one and say nothing matters until everything is great.  I'll see those five, be optimistic,  and say we can beat that last one.

I'm winning until defeated,  you're defeated until you win. As long as we win,  it's all good. The end result is what matters. 

[hogan873]

4 minutes ago, SoxFan562004 said:

Are those vaccine percentages by age routinely available?  

Eligibility for anyone 16+ starts on April 12.  If the state continues vaccinating at the rate they are (and possibly higher), most adults who want the vaccine could be vaccinated by June or so.  There's been no indication that there will be a shortage, but things can change.  My guess is that they wouldn't be planning on expanding eligibility if the vaccines weren't going to be available.

It seems like there is enough vaccine right now for those eligible through 1B.  Time will tell, but I'm optimistic.

[SoxFan562004]

6 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

Eligibility for anyone 16+ starts on April 12.  If the state continues vaccinating at the rate they are (and possibly higher), most adults who want the vaccine could be vaccinated by June or so.  There's been no indication that there will be a shortage, but things can change.  My guess is that they wouldn't be planning on expanding eligibility if the vaccines weren't going to be available.

It seems like there is enough vaccine right now for those eligible through 1B.  Time will tell, but I'm optimistic.

Thank you, just saw on ABC that 65+ first dose is at 57%.

[NWINFan]

43 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Your choice. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. We have a President that takes this seriously. We have a vaccine that is getting into people. Our medical facilities aren't being overrun. No shortages of critical supplies. 

I'm optimistic. 

I'm optimistic, too. It's great to have good news. Had my second shot some hours ago, and so far am not feeling any side effects. Not even a sores shoulder, and I felt nothing at all when getting the shot. Spoke to my niece and she said a co-worker is hesitant to get the vaccine because she thinks it will "rearrange her DNA." Takes all kinds.

[Heads22]

Got my shot around noon yesterday, arm started getting sore last night, and the soreness has been slowly going away. On a scale of 0 to 10, the soreness was about a 1.2. Just barely enough to notice.

[RichieZisk]

23 minutes ago, Heads22 said:

Got my shot around noon yesterday, arm started getting sore last night, and the soreness has been slowly going away. On a scale of 0 to 10, the soreness was about a 1.2. Just barely enough to notice.

Just got first Moderna shot today.  Arm feels about the same as after a flu shot.   It's the second shot that I'm worried about.  Everyone I know who has had the second shot of either Pfizer or Modena has had a rough go of it.  The worst seems to kick in the night of and day after the second shot.